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ACEP urges increase in surge capacity for flu
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is warning that the nation’s pandemic influenza plan does not address the lack of surge capacity and isolation capability in the nation’s hospital emergency departments.
Rick Blum, MD, ACEP president, urged support for the U.S. Senate’s version of H.R. 3010, the FY 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The bill would pump millions of dollars specifically into improving hospital preparedness, increasing hospital bed capacity, and strengthening health information technology systems and networks to improve detection of influenza outbreaks.
"As the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, has twice confirmed in reports it issued in 2003 and 2004, the nation’s hospitals lack adequate surge capacity, isolation facilities, and staff to treat a large increase in the number of patients that may result from a flu pandemic," Blum stated.
"As a result of progressive cuts in reimbursement for medical services and a shortage of trained staff, the nation’s hospitals shed 103,000 staffed hospital beds and 7,800 intensive care unit beds during the past decade."
The result is longer waits for emergency patients who need admission to an inpatient hospital bed. The crowded conditions pose an increased risk of diseases spreading, as well as the diversion of inbound ambulances to other hospitals.
"If history is our guide, it is important we learn from the tragic consequences of the 2003 SARS outbreak in Toronto, when the second SARS victim, who was thought to have pneumonia, was held in one of the city’s emergency departments for an extended period of time until an inpatient bed became available," Blum said. "As a result, 78 people were infected, five of whom died, all as a result of one admitted patient spending the night in the emergency department instead of an inpatient unit."
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is warning that the nations pandemic influenza plan does not address the lack of surge capacity and isolation capability in the nations hospital emergency departments.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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